Westward Bound: The Lewis and Clark Quiz

Join us as we navigate white waters, slog through rainy winters, trudge over mountains, see the Pacific — and then do it all over again on the way back. Test how well you know Lewis, Clark and the whole crew as we learn about the spirit of adventure that led the explorers into the Northwest.

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Question 1 of 30

Let's get some basics down first. Who was president of the United States during the Lewis and Clark expedition?

Thomas Jefferson

It was Jefferson who wanted to explore and expand into the West.

Abraham Lincoln

Zachary Taylor

Question 2 of 30

What is Lewis' first name?

Jeremiah

Meriwether

Meriwether's a really terrific name.

John

Question 3 of 30

What was Clark's first name?

John

William

It's William Clark. Seems basic, but it's easy to forget they have first names.

Samuel

Question 4 of 30

Let's talk a little about Lewis first. Where did he primarily spend his time before the expedition?

New Jersey

Missouri

Virginia

Lewis spent most of his life in Virginia.

Question 5 of 30

After several years of military service, Lewis served as what?

the governor of Virginia

Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary

Lewis took the post of Jefferson's secretary in 1801.

a lawyer

Question 6 of 30

Clark also served in the military, but where did he call home before the expedition?

Missouri

Virginia

Kentucky

While Clark was born in Virginia, he spent a lot of his early years in Kentucky.

Question 7 of 30

How much did Thomas Jefferson ask Congress for when trying to fund the Lewis and Clark expedition?

$10,000

$2,500

Two thousand five hundred dollars isn't a huge sum, even for the time.

nothing

Question 8 of 30

Jefferson asked Lewis to head the expedition. Who asked Clark to join him?

Lewis

Lewis knew Clark from their military days, and they remained friends.

Jefferson

Congress

Question 9 of 30

Lewis asked for Clark to be made a captain on the expedition, but he was denied. What happened?

Clark refused to go until the rank was given.

Lewis refused his own rank.

They both called each other "captain" to the crew to make their partnership equal, regardless of their actual ranks.

The crew didn't know Clark was technically reporting to Lewis.

Question 10 of 30

Where did the expedition leave from?

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisville, Kentucky

St. Louis

The crew left from Missouri in 1804.

Question 11 of 30

What was a nickname for the expedition?

Brothers in Arms

Corps of Discovery

Its nickname was "Corps of Discovery." Although they might have referred to themselves as friendship hikers, too.

Friendship Hikers

Question 12 of 30

How many people made up the "permanent" company?

14

33

While there were folks that joined for parts of the trip, 33 people made the journey from North Dakota to the Pacific and back.

65

Question 13 of 30

What was the name of the dog that came with them?

Seaman

Lewis' Newfoundland, Seaman, made the whole trip.

Johnny Cakes

Mr. Ribbons

Question 14 of 30

How long was the expedition?

4,000 miles (6,000 kilometers)

3,000 miles

8,000 miles

The 8,000-mile journey was no small walk in the woods.

Question 15 of 30

How long did the whole expedition take, from St. Louis to the Pacific and back again?

a year and a half

over two years

It took two years, four months and 10 days for the round trip from Missouri.

six years

Question 16 of 30

Which captain recorded new botanical and wildlife discoveries?

Clark

Lewis

Lewis was charged with collecting and recording the new flora and fauna that the corps came across.

neither

Question 17 of 30

Clark was largely responsible for …

cooking

being responsible for pay

water navigation and mapping

Clark mapped the trip.

Question 18 of 30

Lewis and Clark also brought along …

a prostitute

an African-American slave

York (who has only been referred to with one name in journals of the time) was Clark's slave from childhood.

an astronomer

Question 19 of 30

How many people from the company died on the journey?

one

While venereal diseases, insect-borne illnesses and dysentery were epidemic on the trip, only one man died of a suspected burst appendix.

seventeen

seven

Question 20 of 30

Where did the company spend the 1804-05 winter?

Kansas

North Dakota

The company camped at Fort Mandan, North Dakota.

Nebraska

Question 21 of 30

Who joined the party at Fort Mandan?

Sacagawea

Sacagawea spoke the Shoshone language, so they agreed to take her along with her French Canadian fur trapper husband.

Lewis' brother Richard

a prostitute

Question 22 of 30

Sacagawea gave birth in February, and the crew departed in …

August

July

April

The crew departed in April. That is a no-joke working mom.

Question 23 of 30

The baby was named Jean Baptiste, but he acquired what nickname?

Kitten

Johnny B

Pompy, or Pomp

Clark really took a shine to the kiddo and called him Pomp to tease his "little dancing boy" activities.

Question 24 of 30

Sacagawea was useful not just for her language skills, but she also helped …

identify landmarks and useful routes

Because she was familiar with the area, she could give pointers about the company's locations.

map the land

navigate the canoes

Question 25 of 30

The company was lucky to be helped by several Native American guides. Old Toby was a Shoshone who guided them …

across the Bitterroot mountain range

The difficult mountains would have been nearly impossible to pass without a guide who knew where to take them.

down the Missouri

through the Columbia Gorge

Question 26 of 30

What river finally took the expedition to the Pacific Ocean?

the Clearwater

the Snake

the Columbia

The Clearwater and Snake rivers led them to the mighty Columbia, which took them to the Pacific.

Question 27 of 30

On seeing the ocean, what did Clark write in his journal?

"O! The joy!"

He wrote, "O! The joy!" They made it to the Pacific in November, which is not the most pleasant time in the Pacific Northwest.

"Hallelujah."

"stupid ocin finaly"

Question 28 of 30

The crew voted on where to spend the winter. Who did NOT get a vote?

Seaman

Everyone got a vote except the dog (and probably little Pomp).

Sacagawea

York

Question 29 of 30

The trip back took how long?

four weeks

about six months

The return trip was much shorter, with groups splitting up to explore but rejoining each other at the Missouri River.